A week to remember

I am just beginning to get my feet back on the ground after an amazing week. Seeing ourselves on TV and actually being allowed to talk about our wonderful win has made it all seem more real than ever. And skyping with Laura (and Anya and Johann) and hearing about the visitors to Aquatica - GC and the first steps they are all taking is simply a joy.

This week too saw all the VHS students in Morsum, trying Borneo soup and salad and a Jamie Oliver recipe dessert. I had asked for donations for the work of Dr Catherine Hamlin, obstetrician, who works with women in Ethiopia.

Please take a moment to watch

www.yaninamanolova.com/fistula/index.html

and you'll understand why this is a cause close to my heart, as Mom and Omi. I am so glad to tell you that we have collected over 600 euros.

You know what, my Dad would have said at this point "Halleluja", so I know you'll understand if I say it too. Quietly.

Looking eastwards

Following our flower exercise recently on a Polish site, here are some nice pages from a Czech ditto.

You'll excuse me if I return to the TV screen...

http://www.speakspeak.com/

Asparagus etc

Just spent an hour peeling asparagus. This is already a giant leap for mankind, or at least for me, as the very first time I served asparagus here in Germany it was not a success. This vegetable is popular in the UK too, but in its green variety - which needs no peeling. So my first venture, happily unpeeled, was woody and tough to say the least. Didn't touch it again for at least 20 years.

Now I've got the hang of it and living in the middle of Spargelland as we do, it seemed like a good idea yesterday to buy tons of the stuff. Take a look at these pages on 'German food', it's really interesting and if you pursue the asparagus pages you'll find definitions of 'Handelsklasse I/II/II' etc.

Fascinating:)

http://www.germanfood.about.com/

Spring has sprung

The garden is so beautiful I have to tear myself away to come indoors. And when I go back outside again, I find plants which I swear weren't there 10 minutes ago. Old friends which I'd forgotten - wood anemones, trusty old daffodils, mingle with showy new parrot tulips.
Gorgeous.
Try this sparky quiz to test your spring flower vocabulary:
http://www.anglomaniacy.pl

You'll find all sorts of fun things there...

And, by the way: Aquatica - The Green Connection - has opened in Kota Kinabalu and the visitors (including Anya) love it:)

Joy.

Back again

Well, that look longer than expected, simply because being an Omi obviously addles the brain. As you all know, Baby Johann arrived safely, everyone is fine, Horst celebrated his birthday on the same day, is also fine, and Omi forgot to update The Penguinet.

I'm sorry!

There's no excuse today though: things are hotting up in the UK election campaign and I know you will all want up to date info. So try

http://news.uk.msn.com/

and click your way through to fascinating opinion poll results and much more.

And now you'll have to excuse me while I go back to be 100% Omi again:)

Just waiting

I know you are all going to understand that today my mind is on other things just now.
5.30am Borneo time tomorrow (Monday) Laura & Riko will leave the beach chalet and drive to KK where Laura will have her baby by Caesarian. Anya will be home on the beach with her Nenek (other Oma), Riko's Mum.
So, can't do much from here except keep calm and try and be normal - so it being Sunday, here we go!
I know lots of you enjoy the quizzes and tips on the BBC & with the British Council. Here's a similar site, also lots of quizzes and info.
www.learnenglish.de

So enjoy and WATCH THIS SPACE - I'll update as soon as I have some news.

Good afternoon to all of you Easter Bunnies.

It's been a funny sort of two weeks, spent a week in Yeovil flat on my back sleeping on my Mum's sofa with no voice whatsoever. Arrived back in time to have - first time ever - Handwerker in the house and wow what a good job they did with our living room. It is now so beautiful you are only allowed to peep at it from behind a perspex screen. Martina brushed cookie crumbs from her lap onto the new (red and yellow) carpet yesterday and I nearly killed her.

Anyway.

Many of you know of the solace and companionship I have always found with BBC Radio 4. But it's also fun to tune in to the world, and so why not give

http://www.mikesradioworld.com/

a try. Here you can access live streaming of radio from all over the world, my personal favourites being Australia and boondock towns in the US. Makes you feel (a bit) like James Dean.

Happy Easter...